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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

On Friday, November 4th, a group ofsome 100 farmersgathered in thehillsof Bassin Zim, in a local Catholicchapel, tocelebrateGod'sabundance.

For thelastyear a committeeofseven local volunteershasprovidedtechnical support tosomethirtyfamilieslearningtointensify and diversifytheirfood production techniques, focusing on theirown yards. Now, thecommitteedecided, wasthetime for peopletogather and seewhathasbeenaccomplished. Theeventwasentirelyorganizedbythecommitteeof local farmers; itwassponsoredbyMPP, withfinancingfromtheRoadtoLife Yard and Moringaproject

Scheduledtobeginat 7:30, thecommitteemembersarrived on site at 5:30 AM and beganpreparingtheleantothat serves as a chapel for thisremotearea. I leftour home in Bassin Zimaround 5:30 AM and beganwindingmywaydownthehilltoMPP's training center, wheresomeparticipantshelped me load 115 folding chairs on thetruck, then off wewent, with 8 or 9 passengers. Wecontinueddownthehill, acrosstheSamana river and eventuallyupthetorturoustrailthat serves as a roadtothecommunitiesofSeramon, Matbonithe, Marilapa and Leodiague. WhenmybrotherKeith and twofriendswentwith me tothisarea, Keithcommented, "When Mark saidwecouldgettherebytruck, I thoughthemeanttherewas a road." I believe I gotstuck in mudthreetimes on thewaytothecelebration, but wearrivedby 6:30.

At 7:30 AM, peoplebeganarrivingwithexamplesofthe production fromtheir yard gardens. ThenjournalistsfromMPP's radio station arrived, togetherwith a group ofbuddingvideographers. By 8:30 I wasgetting a bit antsy. Around 9:30, the main speaker, AccèneJoachimarrived and thecommitteeservedalloftheparticipants a spaghetti breakfast. Theeventfinallygotgoingby 10:00 or so. Nobody but me reallyseemedto notice thatweweresome 2 1/2 hourslate.

I hadofferedthecommittee an awardofsomethinglike $US 5,000 if thingsactuallystartedat 7:30. Theyknow me wellenoughtoknowexactlyhowunlikelyitwasthat I wouldeverpayup, but even if I'dbeenserious, mymoneyobviouslywould have beensafe. ByGod'sgrace, and notbymyworrying, everything came out very fine.

I providedmyhopes for thecommittee as well, but alsonotedthatthecommittee, and theparticipants in thecommunity, are providing me with a modelthat I will use duringthenextseveralyears, as I beginworkingwithotherfarmerorganizationsthroughoutthe country.

Finally, AgameElfraüsannouncedthewinners, onebyone. Thecommitteehadarranged for musictofill in the gaps duringthecelebration. NowWilnerrequiredeachwinnertodancewiththeirdisplay on theirheadbeforetheyreceivedtheirprize.